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Saturday, August 28, 2010

Video Links to Aria Basses

Here are some links of various players using Aria basses. This will be updated periodically...If you have a video of yourself playing an Aria, send it and I'll put it here. As usual, thanks to Nuno for some of these links!

Please let me know if you find any dead links! I've been trying to update those as they come about.

Michael Anthonyof Van Halen with his SB-Integra. As a bonus you can hear one of his trademark screams! He can also spin around while playing bass with the best of 'em (see Rudy Sarzo). 'Mad Anthony' can also spin with the heavier SB-1000! Here is some footage of the Monsters of Rock 1988 tour where it looks like Michael may be using a couple of IGB-CST models, one white (about 50 seconds into the clip) and one black (about 7:00). Also, here is an extended video that features interviews and clips with all of the bands on that tour, including Metallica, the Scorpions, Dokken, and Kingdom Come. Here is one more audience recording from 1988 where you can see the black IGB-CST. The IGB-CSTs had multi-laminate necks according to catalog info.

Steve Bailey duets with Victor Wooten and shows his amazing skills on his AP Custom Shop 6 string fretless. Steve plays a different AP Custom bass here, this time with Carl Verheyen. Steve was a big Aria guy, with his own AVB-SB series. Also, no video, but legendary session player Carol Kaye also played the AVB series for quite some time. In this instructional video intro, Steve has an acoustic 6 string Aria bass. Steve also plays a blue, fretless 6 string (watch what Steve does with a slice of pizza!) and a red, fretless 4 string.

Charlie Barrett of The Fixx plays an older model SB-1000 in the video for "Red Skies". I really liked The Fixx when I was a kid watching MTV so long ago. Thanks to Richard for finding this video!

Bob Bogleof The Ventures plays his signature Aria VMB-2001 bass at The Ventures 45th Anniversary show in Japan. The Ventures have used many different Aria signature instruments throughout the years and have a close relationship with Aria and Japan.

The Boys Their bassist (name?) plays what looks like an SB-700 on the Fats Domino song "Hello Josephine". (HT to Pete from Talkbass!)

Jack Bruce playing an older model SB-1000 with fellow legend Cozy Powell. Here is another TV appearance of Jack & Friends. As Jack said, "It's a bloody good axe!"

Cliff Burton with his SB-1000 in the legendary performance of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" in 1985. Here he is with his SB-Black 'n' Gold in a 1985 bass solo from the Metal Hammer Festival in Germany. Cliff appears with his B 'n' G I in another rare video of Metallica being interviewed in Texas in 1986, along with clips of "Battery" and "Master of Puppets". I wish the whole show was taped!

Tony Butler of Big Country played several Arias in the '80s. In this clip, he plays an SB-1000 and again on their huge hit. He plays what I believe to be a TSB-650 here. Here is a much better clip of the TSB-650 on "Fields of Fire".

Joe Byrd plays an older model SB-1000 in 1980 with some jazz guitar legends including his brother Charlie Byrd, Barney Kessel, and fellow Aria Pro II player, Herb Ellis! Here is another clip, this time playing the "Flintstones Theme". Great stuff. (HT to JTE on Talkbass for the ID on Joe).

Cronos of Venom with his unusual SB-1000. It looks like the upper frets have been pulled out!

John Dalton of The Kinks plays an older, walnut finished SB-1000 on "Destroyer". Some great shots of the bass there! (HT to Winston on Talkbass.) Dalton again uses the bass on TotPs for "Come Dancing". The SB-1000 looks really big on him! Finally, I found a real live performance at Rockpalast 1982 (look for the bass at 1:20 and 1:40 respectively). Check out that Rockpalast show for more classic Kinks songs!

John Davidplays a red CSB Cardinal Series bass with legends Carl Perkins, Ringo Starr, and Eric Clapton on the tune "Matchbox". John appears again with the red CSB with Brian Setzer and Dave Edmunds on MTV New Year's Eve 1987! Finally, John is at it again with Edmunds on an Elvis Tribute, also in 1987. (HT to Pete for this great find!)

Jay Davis of the Rod Stewart Band plays what appears to be an SB-1000. The Rod Stewart Band was basically an Aria Pro band for a while, as were featured in an Aria Pro advertisement - even the drummer, Carmine Appice, endorsed Aria! In the ad, Jay is playing a TSB-650 model. In this video, you can get a few more looks at Jay's bass as well as an Aria PE guitar. Finally, Rod and the gang play an old tune he used to play with the Jeff Beck Group. Jay also used the SB-1000 in the video for "How Long". One more link of Davis rocking the TSB.

Kim and Kelley Deal. Like all good siblings should do, Kim and Kelley Deal share. The two alt rockers shared an Aria Pro II Cardinal Series bass. According to Bass Player it was Kelley's bass first but Kim used it for the first couple Pixies albums, until some producer type decided it wasn't good enough! It sounds good enough to me! To the clips: Kim plays the Cardinal with her legendary alt rock band The Pixies in 1986 and in 1988 where she also adds some haunting backing vocals on their well known tune "Where is My Mind". Here are two more very good quality clips of Kim and the CSB: "Gigantic" and "I Bleed" from the BBC's Snub TV. Later, in 1996, the bass turns up again in Kelley's band, The Kelley Deal 6000. I don't know who the bass player is, but it may be Marty Nedich.

Jürgen Dehmelof Nena and "99 Luftballoons" fame plays a ZZB here in a mime performance of their hit song. Here Dehmel appears to be playing a custom finished SB, I think it'ssilver! Here, it appears he's playing a double pickup SB, possibly an SB-R150.

Doe Maarfeatures a very unusual, all black SB-1000, with the older headstock design. You can see it again in this promo clip. Also, in this compilation clip, you can see a blue Cardinal Series bass for a brief time (1:30 and 1:50), along with his black SB-1000 several times.

Tony "The Demolition Man" Dolanof Atomkraft plays an SB-1000 in this video for the song "Foliage". He is also said to have played a Cardinal Series bass, but I haven't found a video for it yet. Dolan would later replace Venom frontman and fellow Aria SB-1000 player Cronos in 1989.

Derek Forbes of Simple Minds plays a Cardinal Series bass in the video for "Up on the Catwalk". (HT to Rob!)

Bruce Foxton with his SB-R60 playing a classic tune by The Jam. Apparently that show was The Jam's last. Here are a few more tracks from that show: "Ghosts", "Modern World" (listen for the fast run at 1:12), and "The Beat Surrender". You can really hear Bruce's SB tone on these tracks! Also, Bruce can be seen here on Top of the Pops miming with what looks like a padauk red SB-R60.

Tim Gainesof Stryper spreads the gospel with SB-Integra basses back in 1985-86. Some of them of were painted in the Stryper color scheme. In this promo video, Gaines plays what looks to be an SB-Black 'n' Gold II, or a Black 'n' Yellow if you will.

Melvin Gibbs rips it up on an SB-1000 with Ronald Shannon Jackson at the Montreux Jazz Festival of 1983. An interesting note: there are two bassists in this performance. The other bassist, the Reverend Bruce Johnson, is playing a fretless, possibly an Ibanez. Check out the bass solo from Gibbs starting around 2 minutes in. This is the same Melvin Gibbs who played with Henry Rollins! Talk about versatile!

Billy Gould of Faith No More with his SB-Integra in London '90. It sounds massive! Here is a rare clip of him using a white Integra-DLX. Note the "I" on the headstock, I think this is the same bass from the "Epic" video. Also, here is his IGB-600 and another black IGB-DLX, with gold hardware. The bass is loud on the last clip! More clips of the IGB-600 - this time at Rock 'n Rio II and on MTV. Just in is some footage of Bill playing an SB-700 with Faith. No Man! Several clips are available from this 1983 show.

Trevor Horn of The Buggles mimes with his SB-1000 on Top of the Pops. Remember, "Video Killed the Radio Star" was the first video aired on MTV, making the SB-1000 the first bass guitar to ever appear on MTV!

Inugami Circus Dan is a Japanese rock band whose bassist uses an SB-LTD in see through red with W4C Bartolini pickups and a Badass II bridge. It looks like they put on quite a show!

Darek Jackson brings the funk for Al Jarreau with an SB-1000! Lots of good looks of the bass in this clip, not to mention hearing the tone! Later, it looks like Darek has an RSB series bass in this video with a Japanese singer Eikichi Yazawa. Here is the video for Jarreau's hit "We're In This Love Together" with Darek and his SB-1000!

Kai of Japanese band Earthshaker plays a ZZB bass for what looks like "Aria Pro II" TV! The guitarist appears to be playing an Aria Pro II PE model. In a different TV appearance Kai plays another ZZB, this time black and white. And finally, in another show he is playing his Integra custom, pictured in the 1986 Aria catalog. If you really need more Earthshaker just search for them on Youtube, for example their Budohkan '86 show.

Kool & The Gang play a Cardinal Series bass here in their video for "Cherish". The bass makes another appearance in the video for "Joanna". (HT to Rob!)

Michael Lachowski plays an all black SB-1000 (or SB-600/700?) with Pylon live in Athens, GA and again in Winston-Salem. Here's an audio only track where you can really hear the cutting tone of Michael's Aria! Michael has been playing the Aria SB since the early '80s as seen in these oldervideos. (HT to BassBrass of Talkbass!)

Neil Murraylooks to be playing a custom SB Integra in this clip with Japanese rockers Vow Wow. Hard to tell with all of those quick cuts! Here are a couple more videos, this time with Black Sabbath, where you can get a better look at the Integra. I think it's a neck-thru with Alembic or Bartolini pickups, which you can see in the beginning of the "When Death Calls". Neil also played with Gary Moore in 1982, and this time he uses what I guess to be a red modified SB-900 but with Alembic or Bartolini guts, similar to his modified Integra used with Black Sabbath. Here he slows it down a bit on "Parisienne Walkways". Next, Neil plays a beautiful ARB-CST bass again with Sabbath. The bass had Bartolini pickups installed and was custom made for Neil.

Patrick O'Hearnplays an SB-Integra with Andy Taylor (of Duran Duran) on the video for "Don't Let Me Die Young". O'Hearn also played bass with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa. This video is also notable for the way Taylor sheds his Duran Duran look in favor of a more Bon Jovi-inspired image. (HT to Trevor!) Also, Patrick can be seen playing the SB-Integra during this 1987 New Year's Eve performance with Taylor. You can hear the bass fairly well on this track.

Charles Ottavio of Animotion plays a red SB-R60 in their quintessential '80s hit "Obsession". I've been trying to keep most of these links to live (or at least lip-syncing!) performances, but I've made a few exceptions and this is one of them. You can see the bass clearly at the 1:20 mark. Unfortunately Charles lost the knobs on his bass. I hate when that happens, SB knob replacements are tough to come by!

Vernon Porter slaps 'n pops a modified SB-900 (looks like a double 'P' configuration) on the Kenny Loggins hit "Heart to Heart". Nowadays, Porter plays a Sadowsky and is a minister/bass instructor!

Rudy Sarzo plays his red SB-Elite at the MTV Music Awards with Whitesnake. Yes, he licks the bass, too (check around 2:47)! The bass most likely had Alembic pickups. Also, Rudy played what looks to be a black SB-1000 in his short lived 1986 project NRG and again for the "Still of the Night" Whitesnake video. Here Rudy shows off his movies on his SB-Black 'n' Gold II with Alembic pickups! The song is "Here I Go Again" performed on New Year's Eve '87.

Erik Scott (update) with what looks like an Aria SB-900 with Alice Cooper in 1981. Mike Pinera, the guitarist, also played an Aria PE series in this video.

Gary Shea plays a white SB-Elite II with Yngwie Malmsteen and Alcatrazz. Bonus Aria action: check out Yngwie wielding an Aria Pro II XX Deluxe Flying V! Here is another video of Gary with his white SB-Elite II, it looks slightly modified to me. There are more chances to see (and hear) Gary in this video. You can see he has another white SB waiting in the wings as well.

Lesley Shone of The Belle Stars plays a walnut finished SB-900 (I think I see two pickups on it!) on a 1983 appearance on Top of the Pops for their hit "Sign of the Times". She appears with the bass again on "The Clapping Song", once again from TotP. TotPs was a great showcase for Arias back in the day! (HT to Rob!)

The Peter Sonntag Quartett(update) features a nice SB-CB in this instrumental rendering of "Behind Blue Eyes." There is also a version of "Pinball Wizard" - the bass solo starts around 3:10.

Mike Starr(?) of Alice in Chains is seen with a white Aria SB-Elite II at a very informal jam with the band. The bass is only visible for a few seconds starting around 8:40 into the clip. I'm not sure if that is Mike Starr or not. If you know, let me know. I haven't seen any other footage of AiC with an Aria.

Alec John Suchof Bon Jovi plays a Wedge WL custom series bass in this clip from 1984. The Wedge was a medium scale bass, similar to the Steinberger design, but it wasn't quite headless. Bon Jovi was also part of the "Aria Alliance" for a while, as Sambora, Such and Bon Jovi were all pictured in the 1985 catalog. Another video of this performance, but better quality.

Switchblade Kittensrock not one, not two, but threeAria IGB basses in this video! No need for a guitar! In the live version, there's also a 5 string IGB. They use various models of Integra and AVB basses. In this public service announcement there is a pink, left-handed IGB bass.

Takumaof Japanese band Wyse plays a custom Aria bass in this 2005 live performance. You can clearly see the AP custom shop logo at about 1:01 of the video.

John Taylorof Duran Duran plays an older model SB-700 (starting around 1:20 you can get a good look at the bass, HT Trevor for a better video) on The Old Grey Whistle Test. Also in 1981 here is John miming with an SB-900 on Girls on Film! Here is his iconic black SB-1000 here in 1984, and his SB-1000JT Re-Issue about 20 years later! In 1985 at the Montreux Pop Festival, John appears to use a Black 'n' Gold I. John nearly pokes the camera with the headstock in the beginning! In this rare video, John uses his iconic SB-1000 while recording Power Station's version of "Bang a Gong" with his bass idol, Bernard Edwards! Bernard kind of steals the show there! And one more of John, this time on Rock School. (HT to Trevor!) Finally, in 1987 I think this may be the last year John was playing Aria until the SB-1000JT in the mid 2000's, it looks like he has the Black n Gold again on "Skin Trade".

Wallenstein - Terry Park(HT to Mozart for bassist name!) plays an SB-1000 on their song "Charline". You can see the bass at about the 1:00 mark. As one viewer asks "Why is the bass plugged into the guitar?" I have no idea. The bass makes another appearance in a live version of the same song.

Paul Weller of the Style Council plays and then trades off a red SB-R60 with another bassist (Camille Hinds?) here in a live performance from 1983. In this second clip, the red R60 is used again on "Hanging On To A Memory", also from 1983.

Jürgen Werle-Mock of Hob Goblin appears with an RSB-Deluxe 5 stringerwith a P/J pickup configuration while miming on German television! You can also see Jürgen playing what looks like an SB-Elite II (or Black 'n' Gold II?) on another video compilation (32 seconds into the video), along with a few more clips of the RSB 5. Jürgen was featured in the 1989 Aria catalog.

Chuck Wright of Giuffria plays a Black 'n' Gold I in the video for "Call to the Heart". (HT to Trevor!)

Sami Yaffa of Hanoi Rocks plays a ZZB in a show from 1983. Here, they play a cover of an Alice Cooper tune.

Zuma gives a bass lesson on Duran Duran's "Save A Prayer" using a beautiful red SB-1000. Here he is again on "Girls on Film"! Great playing! Zuma also gives a demonstration and review of a beautiful vintage red SB-1000.

Random Youtube Links There are far too many vids to track down and put on the list individually, so here is a link for you to explore on your own. There are dozens and dozens of Aria basses being played on Youtube!

More to come...Check back often! Also, I'm putting out an "APB" on any footage of Marcus Miller or Jonas Hellborg using their Aria basses! So far just catalog pics of Marcus and Jonas was just listed in one of the catalogs, but no photo.

2 comments:

Cool collection of Aria bass vids. Could add The Fixx's bass player (Charlie Barrett?). His Aria (I think SB1000) gets good face time on the video for "Red Skies at Night" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXfc7VMyj94(see especially around 2:30).